Semiconductors are continuously diminishing in size. Corresponding to this size reduction is an increase in the power densities of semiconductors. This, in turn, creates heat proliferation problems which must be resolved because excessive heat will degrade semiconductor performance.
Heat pipes and thermosiphons have been used to cool semiconductors. Both heat pipes and thermosiphons operate on a closed two-phase cycle that utilizes the latent heat of vaporization to transfer heat.
Thermosiphons are typically implemented as a tube which encloses a fluid. When used in relation to a semiconductor, for instance a microprocessor, the first end of the thermosiphon, called a vaporizer or evaporator, is attached to a heat generating surface of the semiconductor. The second end of the thermosiphon, referred to as a condenser, vertically extends from the semiconductor where it is cooled by ambient air.
In a first cycle, the heat from the semiconductor vaporizes the fluid within the thermosiphon. During this vaporization process, the fluid vapor absorbs a quantity of heat called the latent heat of vaporization. The vapor formed in the vaporizer is at a higher temperature and hence higher pressure than the vapor at the condenser. Thus, the vapor flows from the evaporator to the condenser.
In a second cycle, the vapor condenses on the condenser walls of the thermosiphon. The condensation operation results in the release of heat. As a result, heat is moved from the evaporator to the condenser. Gravitational forces then cause the condensate in the condenser to flow back to the evaporator. The two-cycle process is then repeated.
Although the inside surface of a thermosiphon may occasionally be lined with grooves or a porous structure to promote the return of the condensate to the evaporator or increase the heat transfer coefficient, thermosiphons principally rely upon local gravitational force to return liquid to the evaporator. By definition, then, for proper operation, the evaporator of a thermosiphon must be located below the condenser.
Heat pipes operate on the same principle as thermosiphons. One distinguishing feature of heat pipes is that they utilize some sort of discrete wicking structure to promote the flow of liquid from the condenser to the evaporator. The wicking structure allows heat pipes to be used in a horizontal orientation relative to gravity, or even with the evaporator oriented against gravity, although the efficiency of the device varies greatly with different physical orientations. For example, if the device is oriented against gravity, its performance is reduced by approximately one-half Thus, it is the dependence of the local gravitational field to promote the flow of the liquid from the condenser to the evaporator that differentiates thermosiphons from heat pipes.
The problem with using thermosiphons with microprocessors is that thermosiphons require a vertical orientation with respect to gravity. This results in a high profile device. As a result, thermosiphons are difficult to use in compact electronic equipment such as palm, notebook, lap, desktop computers, and power supplies.
Another problem with the use of thermosiphons is that they are directionally sensitive. That is, they must be oriented such that gravity forces condensed fluid back to the evaporator. Microprocessor vendors do not know how a computer user will position a computer. For instance, some computers are placed horizontally on desk tops, while others are vertically mounted on floors. A thermosiphon can only operate with a single predetermined physical orientation to gravity.
While heat pipes are not as directionally sensitive, as thermosiphons, they still have the disadvantage of requiring a discrete wick structure. The discrete wick structure is typically formed of a screen, sintered metal, or as a set of axial grooves. A discrete wick structure adds manufacturing expense and otherwise mitigates against high volume manufacturing of heat pipes. In addition, a discrete wick structure, such as a screen, produces a relatively high hydrodynamic resistance. Thus, it would be highly desirable to provide a heat transfer device that is not directionally sensitive and does not require a high hydrodynamic resistance wick structure. Such a device should have a low vertical profile to insure that it can be readily incorporated into a variety of compact electronic equipment.
Another type of device that is commonly used to reduce the heat problems associated with semiconductors is a finned heat sink. A finned heat sink has a horizontal surface that is attached to a heat generating semiconductor surface and a set of fins vertically extending from the horizontal surface. The fins are cooled by ambient air. Thus, heat at the horizontal surface conductively migrates to the fins. Typically, heat is only generated in a few regions of the horizontal surface of a finned heat sink. Thus, only the fins corresponding to those few regions perform most of the cooling. To mitigate the problem of localized heat, a relatively thick heat slug can be used to improve heat distribution. The problem with this approach is that it substantially increases the vertical profile of the device. In addition, the heat slug is heavy and relatively expensive. Consequently, it would be highly desirable to provide a device that evenly distributes heat along the horizontal surface of a finned heat sink, without substantially increasing the vertical profile of the semiconductor package. Such a device would allow all of the fins of the heat sink to dissipate heat. Thus, the efficiency of the finned heat sink would be improved.
Fans have also been used to reduce the heat problems associated with heat generating surfaces, such as semiconductors. There is typically uneven heat distribution on the surface or surfaces from which a fan removes heat. A fan operating in these conditions is not as efficient as a fan removing heat from a surface with an even heat distribution. Moreover, when a fan is used on a heat generating surface, thermodynamic studies indicate that most air movement produced by the fan is applied at the perimeter of the fan. Thus, it is extremely important to convey heat to the perimeter of a heat generating surface. In view of the foregoing, it would be highly desirable to provide a device that evenly distributes heat to a surface or surfaces exposed to a fan. Optimally, such a device would have a low vertical profile to insure its compatibility with compact electronic equipment.